If you like music, you might want to check out my second channel "Milan Recording Studios". Feel free to subscribe and hit the bell icon if you want to! ruclips.net/channel/UCu1LrpmWwK1ztTvIayRar9w
The conduct of the Hammond representative was very unprofessional. Considering the venue, they should have welcomed your input as constructive criticisms. After all, people like you are potential buyers of their instruments . I'm glad you did what you did. Keep your channel honest!
I held on to the recordings trying to figure out if I should upload them as I really want to have a positive channel. Later when I saw other videos saying how great the Porta B was taken at NAMM, I knew that I had to upload the video.
ThePianoforever well played sir. No stress no drama just facts, they should’ve welcomed your input. And explained stuff. Instead they picked the wrong “guy” to be distrustful too. 12K views in first week. You can’t helped what happened not did you design the organ. So well done for share the current truth.
After finding major issues with the Hammond Porta-B at the 2019 NAMM show, including poor internal speakers, the lack of a physical Leslie speed switch (which was replaced with three small buttons), and nearly no treble presence, a Hammond employee reached out to me and explained some of the issues I was having. This is an excerpt from the transcript, regarding the lack of treble from the Leslie speaker. "It's Don Leslie's design from 30+ years ago. The only thing different is the outer tough coat, which was found not only increased the weight of the Leslie by 50lbs but also deadened the cabinet. The inside of the cabinet is also coated the same way. The coating application is outsourced." He also told me this, regarding the Leslie: "Hammond service pointed the snafu out to me as we were unpacking and setting up on Wednesday. " I have been going to the NAMM show for years, and nearly always, vendors will bring their finest goods to the show. Sometimes the instruments on display are even better than ones you could buy in a store. So it seems odd to me that Hammond would send a prototype, experimental Leslie to the show that they knew wasn't quite right. The internal speakers and speed switch system on the Porta- B were stock. A link to my B3 recorded one mic "The House of The Rising Sun" ruclips.net/video/IM1fw51w0iY/видео.html
I have a totally original B3 I bought new in 1970........can't be it! For many years I had a tone wheel 70's Porta B with a small Leslie that did a wonderful job and easy to transport. After retiring I sold the Porta B and must say I regret not keeping it......but truly love my old "virgin" B3.
Because your reviews are honest is why so many of us trust your instrument reviews. When it comes to the re-issue of models of classic items the "new" often fails to live up to the reputation of the original. Thank-your for sharing.
James, I'm so happy to see you amassing so much knowledge about the B3 and developing the ear to hear the distinctions between the real deal and the clones. I had also developed the ear so it's just natural to catch those differences after spending so much time with the real B3. It's great that you're imparting all these deeper facts on the B3 in a detailed way that even non -organists can understand. 😀
If Hammond Suzuki are on the ball they will send you a Porta B to use for a while in your studio to give it a proper A-B test and take whatever advice you give to heart.
What you call “pedal” switches are properly and aptly named “rocker” or “rocking” switches as opposed to “toggle” switches. A rocker switch looks more like a rocking chair than a table, but you’re right and I can very well see that someone used to playing a B3 would be annoyed by that feature on the Porta-B that would require some time to get accustomed to.
the vintage ( im talking at its newest " 1950 "something ) vacuum tube B3 concert organ ( totally analog ) was the best , my aunt had one and I got to play it ! 👍😃🎶🎼🎵 🆒 tnx for video !!
Sorry, you had to put up with such disrespect from an "alleged" Hammond rep! My C3 ( we call the 50+-year-old baby "The Beast"). My wife threatened me with bodily harm if I even thought of getting rid of it. I recently turned 77 and still love to hear that rascal scream! Kudos to you for your excellent review. I'm blues/jazz/rock and actually PLAY pedals in our jazz trio...no left-hand sham. Totally jealous of your pristine B and Leslie. My rig definitely shows the years of miles, concerts and nightclubs, but I still love it!
That’s very interesting to compare the clone with the real deal. I think the biggest difference is simply vacuum tubes and tone wheels versus chips and transistors. Give me the original! Thanks, as always!
Until this one I've always thought that the main issue with a clonewheel organ is to create the originals' sonical issues, defects, and drawbacks as identical as possible. Now I've learned that Hammond Suzuki didn't even manage to recreate the basics. What a disappointment! Thanks a lot for showing it to us!
James, you are a very positive person. that's what keeps your channel positive. Being honestly critical is not negitive, it's reality. If you put lipstick on a pig, even if it's very good lipstick applied with great artistic flare, it's still a pig. Though it may produce great bacon and ham, I still don't want to bring it into my living room because even with the lipstick..... it's still...well, a pig and the livingroom will never be the same. That's not being negitive, but it may diswade someone unfamiliar with pigs from bringing one wearing lipstick into their livingroom and suffering those consiquences! .....now I've offended the pig trolls, hope the replies don't blow up. lol
Thank you, I like your constructive criticism. It is truly constructive. Possibly the Hammond display didn't want someone who knew what he was talking about to point out flaws in development. I'm sure you said that, sorry for missing it. And you're right about the sound difference. It was very noticeable.
The half-moon switch was made of bakelite, which is very durable and could be manufactured if they wanted to. I owned a Hammond A-101 (same internal workings as the B3) and agree with all of your points. While I appreciate Suzuki keeping the name alive, their products will never be the same as the original in quality, playability or sound. Between the other keyboard manufacturers and VSTis modeling the sound of the B3, spending the money for the name is no longer a logical option. Excellent and honest video.
I played in a band from 1969 into the early 80s. Our keyboard player actually then they called it organ player. He was my best friend I played lead guitar and he played a Hammond M3. Do you know the m3 is their much different sound. I thought it sounded excellent. The grind , the percussion,. I loved it. He couldent afford the b3 plus the b3 is a much bigger organ and we worried about portability. Those old wood hammonds were heavy. I believe he had a 147 Leslie.
11:35, I've always called them tablet switches. I also have a toe switch on my swell pedal for Leslie control, in addition to the half-moon switch. That really helps as well, by never taking your hands off the manuals.
Hey James! Where did you hunt for your personal Hammond B3? We are in the market for a great condition one like yours for our film scoring studio. We'd appreciate any help in pointing us in the right direction. We've come across some but have found them to be counterfeits and it seems to be a common issue when hunting for a genuine B3. Thanks!
Good for you for being honest. NAMM is a big place and don't know what their problem is. People wander about aimlessly. I agree with you on the vibrating of the internal speakers. Cheap stuff! Love your channel.
I noticed your review is with a 2019 porta B ....I bought my porta B in 2005 and they are so much different. please find one of that year and give us a review. id love to see and hear what ya think....ive had an e-100, 1970s porta B, a 1962 B-3, and now have the 2005 model porta B
I have the XLK-B3 Suzuki Hammond. Although it is technically a 2 manual portable, I have it in my music studio. I love it because I live in Hawaii where having anything serviced is difficult. I looked at a real B3 but didn't want to risk a tone wheel failure and didn't like the maintenance. I've had my Suzuki Hammond for at least 5 years and there is nothing that I've had to do to it. I like that. I also have the Leslie 3330. If I had to do it over again I would have bought the wood cabinet Leslie rather than portable. BTW, my EXP100 volume control pedal has a tab that turns on the Leslie and shuts it down. I paid about $10,000 for the organ including bench, 25 pedal board, and Leslie. The only thing I didn't like at the time was that the legs on the organ and bench are square. Now they offer dowel type legs. Also, notice that there are more draw bars on the big B3.
Gary Kahn, I think you would have found the B3 Hammond would need very little servicing. The only real time that I have heard of a B3 needing servicing is when they have been sitting unused or used extensively on the road. There are little things that you can address from time to time. The only servicing that mine has needed has been a broken wire on a draw bar. It was really a very simple repair all in all (I did a video on it). The new Hammond dealers like to talk about all the servicing that was needed on the original B3 organs, but I have never known that to be the case. They weigh about 425 lbs, but move very easily with a Roll or Kari dolly and could almost be a one person move with no steps.
Initially, it sounds nice but yes, there is no treble. As a Hammond owner, Hammond should deal more honestly with the issues you found and take it as customer feedback or an honest review from a knowledgeable customer. They don't flatter themselves here and the new instrument needs improvement.
I still like the original Hammond B3 no matter how hard they try to clone the sound. But actually I’d rather use a foot switch instead of the half moon but that’s my opinion.
Too bad about the porta b I bought an SKX in December 2018 and love it. Same issues with the optional add ons, but it's only $3000 and sounds great. Check it out. I'm interested in your opinion.
Does it at least have a toe switch on the expression pedal (you'd kick to the side to switch slow and fast)? The Suzuki Hammond models at my college (Berklee) all have them
The Porta-B has only one set of drawbars, not two like the B3. Btw: in fact I like it very much when an organ starts to tremble and shake when playing with internal speakers at a high volume. For me it is a sign „it comes alive“ - in comparison to keyboards with tiny speakers ;-)
Since this organ carries the Hammond name, it should live up the the legacy that the original Hammond organs created, and the Porta-B with its internal speakers really just doesn't do it. The original Hammonds' keys do not vibrate when you play the instrument, and I've never even played a keyboard instrument that has vibrating keys - even my Steinway concert grand's keys don't vibrate when you play the thunderous bass.
@@ThePianoforever They don't shake, well and good. But acoustic pianos DO transmit some frequencies into your fingers. Hopefully only frequencies > 200 hz.
There's no substitute for the real deal. I think that's a pretty universal rule but even more so with a Hammond. Do you know the history of your Hammond? I imagine that if it's pretty free of nicks and flaws in the wood, it must have sat in a church. Probably didn't go on the road with a touring band. Whatever the case, I'm sure its seen some amazing music.
Just two owners before me with non-professional use. The Leslie and Hammond were purchased at the same time and always stayed together. It's been treated with tremendous respect it's entire life, and I will always do the same.
The Porta-B Name was Originally designated to a Collapsible Tonewheel Spinet based on the L-100 Electronics. In a 44/44/13 Compass. The later ones had a Tab that engaged a 16' tone on the Lower Manual on the Pedal Drawbar.
He has what I call Robin Williams syndrome...he is a fast talker, can notice numerous things in relation to the organs, music, etc. He also is able to go from one subject of his topic of interest to another in an instant. And that shows his brain is firing at a very rapid rate...thus .much higher intelligence and thus he requires more stimuli to feed his interests. I can almost guarantee without knowing him personally and not viewing any other of his videos, he's probably always on the go and never gets bored. These are the RUclips channels I enjoy watching...actual intriguing ones and not rediculous absurd pranks and pointless subjects like most others.
Even though I personally enjoy the sounds you’re producing on the porta, I respect you for making your position known. It could be about choosing between the original B3 and Leslie 122 or 147 - - - and a model by Roland, Korg or Clavia. Since you had your camera lens in a fixed position, I have to ask. How much does it weigh and how small is it? At the end, it’s like a dulcimer for the keyboardist.
That Hammond employee at the Nam show scolding you is such a turn off. That would have upset me so much and turned me against the company. I like the Sk1 88. But, they should include a pitch bend wheel, and the ability to pitch bend with a lever on the expression pedal. Also, their long pedal GL bass pedals instrument sounds good, but no place to mount a piano sustain pedal next to the expression pedal. With a 2019 instrument, one wants to play many different sounds, and have a rhythm section with large buttons. My instrument of choice and for the money? A Casio CDP 235R, with stand and bench, $450.
Good review. I suspect the internal speaker philosophy is that most pros will use external speakers anyway, so just include something barely adequate. (Which is pretty much the same as flat screen TV's.) And as you suggest, it's tough to know if the high end issue was a problem with the environment, the speakers, or the organ itself. Also as you suggest, I bet they didn't want the Leslie switch protruding on a portable instrument. (I wonder if that will be available as an add on; remember that it was an add on to the original B3.) I agree the price sounds high, there's some other decent 2 manual clonewheels out there. But any new clone wheel won't weigh what an old B3 weighed. Finally vintage Hammonds often are missing pedalboards because most pop & rock players never used them. Keep the candid reviews coming.
Very good honest video. Did you get chance to try the Viscount Legend while you were at Namm? I would be interested if there is a possibility of you reviewing it in a future video. 😎
I'd be willing to do a review of one of those! When I dropped by the booth, there were some awesome jazz players having a jam session, and I forgot to go back to try the organs. They seem to have an alright sound, and I like that the layout of the controls remained true to the original B3. (Why did Hammond-Suzuki change that, anyways?) I'd also like to do a review on the Nord C2D, their clonewheel organ, I found one at a music store and quite liked it. But neither of these instruments will really hold up to a real B3, it's just one of those sounds that I don't think we will ever be able to truly replicate.
ThePianoforever Thanks for your reply .Yes it seems to be so that no imitation can be exactly like the original. I have had the Legend for a few months now and like it very much though. It has a nice keybed , unfortunately the drawbars don’t have the click action of a real B3 though. Something they should have done from the start in my opinion.I used to have a Hammond A100 many years ago. I’ve also had a Nord C2D. Its a nice layout but the leslie sim, I feel is weak. The sim on the Legend I do like especially now they’ve made a software editor so you can tweak the settings. If you ever happen to be in the UK you;re welcome to do the review on mine . I can take the honesty and wouldn’t throw you out as Hammond Susuki did😉 I expect Namm is a better opportunity and obviously nearer to you though. As for the layout of the Porta B, have a look at the much older SK3 ....they look identical to me. A friend of mine has an SKX which I’ve played and although not layed out like a B3 either, I found it much better than the Porta B sounds in your video and at £2500, a lot less expensive.
Matthew Province I'm a novice organ player, but from what my good friend has told me, when you engage percussion in a Hammond it disables the set of tonewheels for the 9th drawbar. I believe it borrows that set of tonewheels to create the percussion sounds.
Yes, that's something the original B3 does as well. But when I was testing out the Porta-B and was having problems with the treble being loud enough, I did not have percussion on, and had all the high drawbars pulled all the way out.
One of the issues with the B3 MOI and the Porta B MkII is that try both use the VASE III sound engine, which was replaced when the new XK5 came out. I would test the new XK5 Heritage Pro system, which would come as close as anything to the original Porta B.
Randomly came across this guy and oddly I like him, Always had a thing for this sorta music. It's a Dying breed :( But hey! I sure can impress a whole lotta chicks with this. Haha
It's a preset key, it stays held down when you press it and it selects what group of harmonic drawbars you can adjust. The Bb and B keys are for the drawbars, and the rest of the inverted keys on the left of the instrument are other pre-determined presets.
I'd say that it is always difficult to make good sound comparisons in such noisy environments, and then obviously those little onboard speakers compared to a full size leslie. plus the fact that simulations still do not sound like a real leslie, even if it's a smaller one from a different manufacturer etc (however, the simulation in the XK5 sounded quite close and acceptable for the first time...) but a real rotating leslie still makes the difference. i am sure that this porta-B will sound very cool in your studio when you connect it to your L122. it was the same for me more than 20 years ago when i got my XB-2. i hooked it up to my stereo amp and it was quite disappointing. the sound was rather flat and the digital leslie was just crap. so, not even one year later i purchased a 122RV and voilà, i had the sound that i was expecting. i tried other, newer leslie simulations later, they were better than the XB2, but .... no. real leslie or forget it ;) oh and there is a halfmoon leslie switch from hammond (CU-something) and i am pretty sure it can also be added to the porta-B ... but of course it is additional like all the other parts of the organ, as you said.
Were you invited prearranged, to visit the booth to do a test session, with camera.equipmemt, etc, or did you just walk-in as a casual visitor, to sit down and experiment?? Sounds like staff got intimidated??
Thanks for the memories. Better days gone by. My Hammond was a B3 walnut trim, bought new, 1961, but later modified it to incorporate a volume pedal for each manual (lower manual plus pedals) and a Leslie speaker with chorale. That was my professional rig. My practice set up at home was a Model A (ser# 1313) with a small Leslie. Loved them both.
I have not played one, and I'm really only very familiar with the original Hammond B3. The SK2 has additional sounds like piano and Rhodes, and is actually more portable than the Porta-B, but that's about all I know, and without playing it I wouldn't really be able to give you a strong opinion on it.
tone-wheel vs clone-wheel ... digital sound vs acoustic, although tone-wheel and other older electronic / electric organs weren't exactly "acoustic" really but they were much closer, weren't they? :-) even digital sound has its own variants such as PCM vs FM and so on ... its equivalent in photography: digital imagery vs film emulsion capture of light ... even in digital imagery we do have similar comparisions: non-compressed RAW capture (broader DR, higher image quality) vs JPG and similar compressed formats (narrower DR, lower image quality) don't get me wrong though: just like digital music and sound, digital photography (and video) has brought a lot of good to the world of photography that also serves traditional old fashioned (yet still very useful) film photography as well ... in short, digital vs acoustic is kind of like a carefully prepared home-cooked meal (preferably using good quality non-Monsanto materials too!) vs the kind of 'thing' we eat in a fast food chain restaurant ... ;-)
Like to watch your videos and respect your opinions. Those are rocker switches, a tablet switch usually looks like a tombstone and flips down or up, or so referred in my neck of the woods. Your B and Leslie are beautiful and a steal at $8K considering their condition. I presume the Leslie is a 122? The 122’s are more in demand for gospel and jazz, while the 147/145’s are brighter and cut through better for rock. Yes, that rep was being a jerk. Thanks for doing what you do!
Rich Ferraro, I do have a 1965 122 Leslie. The one really important thing that I forgot to include was they had the Porta B connected to a 1978 122 XB Leslie. It's the thing many people like to do when comparing a new Suzuki / Hammond to a vintage Hammond, is hook it up to a vintage Leslie. I have seen online where they even use the vintage amps from the Hammond as well. I do not believe that is even close to a true comparison between a vintage Hammond and a Suzuki / Hammond. It's like they have really just given up and are just trying anything to get it to sound as good, and even then it does not sound as good to a true vintage Hammond to an experienced Hammond B3 player.
Every Hammond organist knows the frustration you experienced having no Leslie switch on that Porta B! You'd think Hammond Suzuki would've learned their lesson by now! The Nord C2D was a game changer, and there are still many organists who prefer it to this day even above the new XK5! Hammond Suzuki has simply refuse to give people what they've been begging for for damn near 20 years now. All we want is a Hammond B3 that plays like a real B3 but is very portable. That includes two manuals and 4/5 sets of drawbars with keys that are payable just like the vintage, all packaged with an affordable price point at or under 4k!!!!! They've refused to do it, but Nord has, so let Nord annihilate their business for all I care!!! Because as you stated, for their prices you'd be better off to invest in an original vintage Hammond!!!!
The Leslie Switch Could be Built Into the Lower Left Cheekblock (I use Flat "Designer" light switches for this) or Jimmy Smith (from the "Off The Top" Album) had his Leslie Switches Routed into the Keyslip.
With the B3, players often will keep one foot on the expression pedal and the other foot on the pedal board, but this Porta-B didn't have pedals anyways.
I'm a Hammond lover from way back, I had a M-100 was my first. Try the new XK5 Hammond I've heard they are as close to the B3 as they come, thanks for your demo.
There are so many companies out there right now making knock off B3s that I think it would be wise to check out all of the brands before buying any clone, but for me the real deal is the way to go.
Hammond should produce a very limited number or special order only B3/C3/RT3 & A100 series. Yes they'd cost a fortune to make however, it's a guarantee sale without much question (if the do an exact replication). Mellotron does it. and the new ones sound amazing.
Mellotron is still making mechanical instruments with tape in 2020? I heard rumors of them being at NAMM 2020 but I had no idea they were still mechanical, I definitely would have checked that out!
Only $ 8,000 for all equipments !!!!!!!! If I try to purchase the same 1965 Hammond B3 Organ in my country Japan, it will be more than three times more than that.
Why does a “portable” B3 have internal speakers? All that weight and bulk, geez. ...and there some incredible clones out there, just not this one. This thing just doesn’t have the grit/huevos of the Real Deal. Even the software version in Logic sounds amazing, with the ability to emulate various versions and variable pre-amp overdrive. If Suzuki doesn’t get its poop together, their Hammond division is gonna be nothing but a money pit for them. It’s a shame, cause most of us can’t afford to get a B-3. And there’s only a limited amount of ‘em out there, too. ....$6K?!? Ridiculous for an emulator. Suzuki was prolly pissed ‘cause Cory Henry prolly dissed em. The Leslie switch thing is simply dumb. And, you’re right, when I toured with a Hammond, that Leslie switch Never broke.
The only reason someone don't make a new tonewheel organ is they would be so expensive that it would be impractical to buy one. They say it's about the weight, but many are not often moved so then it becomes the issue of the price. I find I can move mine very easily with the help of a Roll or Karri.
@@ThePianoforever Im thinking they cant do it or are too lazy .. The sound they are trying to make cannot be reproduced unless you do it the same way. There is a high pitch whine in all the I call them fake Hammonds which I cant stand and has a fake sound. Yes to most people this sounds fine but to somebody who is a true Hammond lover it just doesnt work !!!!
Really interesting. There must be a cheaper way to make a real tone wheel organ using using some different materials e.g there was an Italian tone wheel which used some plastic parts: it must be possible.
Así es. Casi todo lo "moderno" cuesta nuevo tan caro o más que lo antiguo y encima, inventos absurdos y con mucha peor calidad de materiales y de construcción. Pero claro, mientras alguien lo pague, seguirán con lo mismo. Gracias por decir la verdad, James.
The real question is Why you don't have a named Pro Model!?! Hammond Should reach out and Pay you to help fix the issues! "Hammond Porta-b James Pavel Edition"... or you could reach out to a company/person who cares about players and help design a Portable... A.k.A "the James Pavel Organ"! "Bruhh Got the Sound Out of My JPO" "Jazzen out with the new JPO Pro model"
They made you mad, thank you for this demo go to a Hammond Store and Check out another unit and other models. I love classical music on the Hammond J S Bach would be proud He was a jazz fan as you know.
The Hammond organ company (today Hammond Suzuki) was always known for their arrogance and, as it seems, this has never really changed. Historically speaking, that was and still is their Achilles' heel.
doesn't look that portable to me the internal speakers would add a fair bit of weight I have a dual manual xk5 and xk3c and a 1969 M102 my xk5 looks more like a B3 and is set up more like a B3 and is portable as the xk3c The porta B is not something i'd buy
If you like music, you might want to check out my second channel "Milan Recording Studios". Feel free to subscribe and hit the bell icon if you want to!
ruclips.net/channel/UCu1LrpmWwK1ztTvIayRar9w
Next time you do an organ video can you play a Bach Fugue with the classic church organ sound we all know and love?
Any fool who says “you’re playing it too loud” doesn’t have a lick of taste in music and shouldn’t be associated with musical products.
The conduct of the Hammond representative was very unprofessional. Considering the venue, they should have welcomed your input as constructive criticisms. After all, people like you are potential buyers of their instruments . I'm glad you did what you did. Keep your channel honest!
I held on to the recordings trying to figure out if I should upload them as I really want to have a positive channel. Later when I saw other videos saying how great the Porta B was taken at NAMM, I knew that I had to upload the video.
ThePianoforever well played sir. No stress no drama just facts, they should’ve welcomed your input. And explained stuff. Instead they picked the wrong “guy” to be distrustful too. 12K views in first week. You can’t helped what happened not did you design the organ. So well done for share the current truth.
Ya the Hammond representatives were assholes to me at NAMM 2020
After finding major issues with the Hammond Porta-B at the 2019 NAMM show, including poor internal speakers, the lack of a physical Leslie speed switch (which was replaced with three small buttons), and nearly no treble presence, a Hammond employee reached out to me and explained some of the issues I was having. This is an excerpt from the transcript, regarding the lack of treble from the Leslie speaker.
"It's Don Leslie's design from 30+ years ago. The only thing different is the outer tough coat, which was found not only increased the weight of the Leslie by 50lbs but also deadened the cabinet. The inside of the cabinet is also coated the same way. The coating application is outsourced."
He also told me this, regarding the Leslie:
"Hammond service pointed the snafu out to me as we were unpacking and setting up on Wednesday. "
I have been going to the NAMM show for years, and nearly always, vendors will bring their finest goods to the show. Sometimes the instruments on display are even better than ones you could buy in a store. So it seems odd to me that Hammond would send a prototype, experimental Leslie to the show that they knew wasn't quite right. The internal speakers and speed switch system on the Porta- B were stock.
A link to my B3 recorded one mic "The House of The Rising Sun"
ruclips.net/video/IM1fw51w0iY/видео.html
I have a totally original B3 I bought new in 1970........can't be it! For many years I had a tone wheel 70's Porta B with a small Leslie that did a wonderful job and easy to transport. After retiring I sold the Porta B and must say I regret not keeping it......but truly love my old "virgin" B3.
Your honesty is a huge benefit of your channel.
Because your reviews are honest is why so many of us trust your instrument reviews. When it comes to the re-issue of models of classic items the "new" often fails to live up to the reputation of the original. Thank-your for sharing.
James, I'm so happy to see you amassing so much knowledge about the B3 and developing the ear to hear the distinctions between the real deal and the clones. I had also developed the ear so it's just natural to catch those differences after spending so much time with the real B3. It's great that you're imparting all these deeper facts on the B3 in a detailed way that even non -organists can understand. 😀
If Hammond Suzuki are on the ball they will send you a Porta B to use for a while in your studio to give it a proper A-B test and take whatever advice you give to heart.
Agree about the honesty. Thanks for an awesome presentation. Love the last instrument. Nice one!
Dude, love your reviews on all this stuff. Keep posting!
What you call “pedal” switches are properly and aptly named “rocker” or “rocking” switches as opposed to “toggle” switches. A rocker switch looks more like a rocking chair than a table, but you’re right and I can very well see that someone used to playing a B3 would be annoyed by that feature on the Porta-B that would require some time to get accustomed to.
the vintage ( im talking at its newest " 1950 "something ) vacuum tube B3 concert organ ( totally analog ) was the best , my aunt had one and I got to play it ! 👍😃🎶🎼🎵 🆒 tnx for video !!
Sorry, you had to put up with such disrespect from an "alleged" Hammond rep! My C3 ( we call the 50+-year-old baby "The Beast"). My wife threatened me with bodily harm if I even thought of getting rid of it. I recently turned 77 and still love to hear that rascal scream! Kudos to you for your excellent review. I'm blues/jazz/rock and actually PLAY pedals in our jazz trio...no left-hand sham. Totally jealous of your pristine B and Leslie. My rig definitely shows the years of miles, concerts and nightclubs, but I still love it!
That’s very interesting to compare the clone with the real deal. I think the biggest difference is simply vacuum tubes and tone wheels versus chips and transistors. Give me the original! Thanks, as always!
Until this one I've always thought that the main issue with a clonewheel organ is to create the originals' sonical issues, defects, and drawbacks as identical as possible. Now I've learned that Hammond Suzuki didn't even manage to recreate the basics. What a disappointment! Thanks a lot for showing it to us!
James, you are a very positive person. that's what keeps your channel positive. Being honestly critical is not negitive, it's reality. If you put lipstick on a pig, even if it's very good lipstick applied with great artistic flare, it's still a pig. Though it may produce great bacon and ham, I still don't want to bring it into my living room because even with the lipstick..... it's still...well, a pig and the livingroom will never be the same. That's not being negitive, but it may diswade someone unfamiliar with pigs from bringing one wearing lipstick into their livingroom and suffering those consiquences! .....now I've offended the pig trolls, hope the replies don't blow up. lol
Haha! Excellent!
There is nothing now or in the future to replicate an original tonewheel Hammond period.
Thank you, I like your constructive criticism. It is truly constructive. Possibly the Hammond display didn't want someone who knew what he was talking about to point out flaws in development. I'm sure you said that, sorry for missing it. And you're right about the sound difference. It was very noticeable.
The half-moon switch was made of bakelite, which is very durable and could be manufactured if they wanted to. I owned a Hammond A-101 (same internal workings as the B3) and agree with all of your points. While I appreciate Suzuki keeping the name alive, their products will never be the same as the original in quality, playability or sound. Between the other keyboard manufacturers and VSTis modeling the sound of the B3, spending the money for the name is no longer a logical option. Excellent and honest video.
AriKona you are so right on point! 💯 who wants to spend money just for the name when there are quite a few other clonewheels that are better!!!!
I played in a band from 1969 into the early 80s. Our keyboard player actually then they called it organ player. He was my best friend I played lead guitar and he played a Hammond M3. Do you know the m3 is their much different sound. I thought it sounded excellent. The grind , the percussion,. I loved it. He couldent afford the b3 plus the b3 is a much bigger organ and we worried about portability. Those old wood hammonds were heavy. I believe he had a 147 Leslie.
11:35, I've always called them tablet switches. I also have a toe switch on my swell pedal for Leslie control, in addition to the half-moon switch. That really helps as well, by never taking your hands off the manuals.
Works for me.
Hey James! Where did you hunt for your personal Hammond B3? We are in the market for a great condition one like yours for our film scoring studio. We'd appreciate any help in pointing us in the right direction. We've come across some but have found them to be counterfeits and it seems to be a common issue when hunting for a genuine B3. Thanks!
Ebay. Took a long time and a lot of research to decide which one to buy.
@@ThePianoforever Thanks! Did you come across any good resources to help determine authenticity during your research?
Good for you for being honest. NAMM is a big place and don't know what their problem is. People wander about aimlessly. I agree with you on the vibrating of the internal speakers. Cheap stuff! Love your channel.
I noticed your review is with a 2019 porta B ....I bought my porta B in 2005 and they are so much different. please find one of that year and give us a review. id love to see and hear what ya think....ive had an e-100, 1970s porta B, a 1962 B-3, and now have the 2005 model porta B
I have the XLK-B3 Suzuki Hammond. Although it is technically a 2 manual portable, I have it in my music studio. I love it because I live in Hawaii where having anything serviced is difficult. I looked at a real B3 but didn't want to risk a tone wheel failure and didn't like the maintenance. I've had my Suzuki Hammond for at least 5 years and there is nothing that I've had to do to it. I like that. I also have the Leslie 3330. If I had to do it over again I would have bought the wood cabinet Leslie rather than portable. BTW, my EXP100 volume control pedal has a tab that turns on the Leslie and shuts it down. I paid about $10,000 for the organ including bench, 25 pedal board, and Leslie. The only thing I didn't like at the time was that the legs on the organ and bench are square. Now they offer dowel type legs. Also, notice that there are more draw bars on the big B3.
Gary Kahn, I think you would have found the B3 Hammond would need very little servicing. The only real time that I have heard of a B3 needing servicing is when they have been sitting unused or used extensively on the road. There are little things that you can address from time to time. The only servicing that mine has needed has been a broken wire on a draw bar. It was really a very simple repair all in all (I did a video on it). The new Hammond dealers like to talk about all the servicing that was needed on the original B3 organs, but I have never known that to be the case. They weigh about 425 lbs, but move very easily with a Roll or Kari dolly and could almost be a one person move with no steps.
Initially, it sounds nice but yes, there is no treble. As a Hammond owner, Hammond should deal more honestly with the issues you found and take it as customer feedback or an honest review from a knowledgeable customer. They don't flatter themselves here and the new instrument needs improvement.
I still like the original Hammond B3 no matter how hard they try to clone the sound. But actually I’d rather use a foot switch instead of the half moon but that’s my opinion.
Too bad about the porta b
I bought an SKX in December 2018 and love it. Same issues with the optional add ons, but it's only $3000 and sounds great. Check it out. I'm interested in your opinion.
I had an Sk1 88 and liked the tone. Had to sell it. Wish it had a pitch bend wheel. Would consider buying it again.
Honestly, that doesn't even sound like a b3. I was raised in a black Baptist Church, so I kinda already know what a b3 is supposed to sound like.
Does it at least have a toe switch on the expression pedal (you'd kick to the side to switch slow and fast)? The Suzuki Hammond models at my college (Berklee) all have them
The Porta-B has only one set of drawbars, not two like the B3.
Btw: in fact I like it very much when an organ starts to tremble and shake when playing with internal speakers at a high volume. For me it is a sign „it comes alive“ - in comparison to keyboards with tiny speakers ;-)
Since this organ carries the Hammond name, it should live up the the legacy that the original Hammond organs created, and the Porta-B with its internal speakers really just doesn't do it. The original Hammonds' keys do not vibrate when you play the instrument, and I've never even played a keyboard instrument that has vibrating keys - even my Steinway concert grand's keys don't vibrate when you play the thunderous bass.
@@ThePianoforever They don't shake, well and good. But acoustic pianos DO transmit some frequencies into your fingers. Hopefully only frequencies > 200 hz.
There's no substitute for the real deal. I think that's a pretty universal rule but even more so with a Hammond.
Do you know the history of your Hammond? I imagine that if it's pretty free of nicks and flaws in the wood, it must have sat in a church. Probably didn't go on the road with a touring band. Whatever the case, I'm sure its seen some amazing music.
Just two owners before me with non-professional use. The Leslie and Hammond were purchased at the same time and always stayed together. It's been treated with tremendous respect it's entire life, and I will always do the same.
The Porta-B Name was Originally designated to a Collapsible Tonewheel Spinet based on the L-100 Electronics.
In a 44/44/13 Compass. The later ones had a Tab that engaged a 16' tone on the Lower Manual on the Pedal Drawbar.
He has what I call Robin Williams syndrome...he is a fast talker, can notice numerous things in relation to the organs, music, etc. He also is able to go from one subject of his topic of interest to another in an instant. And that shows his brain is firing at a very rapid rate...thus .much higher intelligence and thus he requires more stimuli to feed his interests. I can almost guarantee without knowing him personally and not viewing any other of his videos, he's probably always on the go and never gets bored. These are the RUclips channels I enjoy watching...actual intriguing ones and not rediculous absurd pranks and pointless subjects like most others.
I always wondered why Hammond did not include 'pedal sustain' on the -3 models?
One last thing. What was the name of the Suzuki instrument at the end? I couldn't quite make out what you are saying on how to spell it on google.
It's called a Taisho Harp, it was really fun! :P
What about the *Viscount Legend* organ?
Does that match up to the standard for a Hammond substitute?
No real Hammond substitute.
I would still go with the B3 or C3 one that has bee takencare of
Please do reviews on the portable organs. Viscount Legend and the Mojo Please please
Even though I personally enjoy the sounds you’re producing on the porta, I respect you for making your position known. It could be about choosing between the original B3 and Leslie 122 or 147 - - - and a model by Roland, Korg or Clavia.
Since you had your camera lens in a fixed position, I have to ask. How much does it weigh and how small is it?
At the end, it’s like a dulcimer for the keyboardist.
That Hammond employee at the Nam show scolding you is such a turn off. That would have upset me so much and turned me against the company. I like the Sk1 88. But, they should include a pitch bend wheel, and the ability to pitch bend with a lever on the expression pedal. Also, their long pedal GL bass pedals instrument sounds good, but no place to mount a piano sustain pedal next to the expression pedal. With a 2019 instrument, one wants to play many different sounds, and have a rhythm section with large buttons. My instrument of choice and for the money? A Casio CDP 235R, with stand and bench, $450.
Good review. I suspect the internal speaker philosophy is that most pros will use external speakers anyway, so just include something barely adequate. (Which is pretty much the same as flat screen TV's.) And as you suggest, it's tough to know if the high end issue was a problem with the environment, the speakers, or the organ itself. Also as you suggest, I bet they didn't want the Leslie switch protruding on a portable instrument. (I wonder if that will be available as an add on; remember that it was an add on to the original B3.) I agree the price sounds high, there's some other decent 2 manual clonewheels out there. But any new clone wheel won't weigh what an old B3 weighed. Finally vintage Hammonds often are missing pedalboards because most pop & rock players never used them. Keep the candid reviews coming.
Very good honest video. Did you get chance to try the Viscount Legend while you were at Namm? I would be interested if there is a possibility of you reviewing it in a future video. 😎
I'd be willing to do a review of one of those! When I dropped by the booth, there were some awesome jazz players having a jam session, and I forgot to go back to try the organs. They seem to have an alright sound, and I like that the layout of the controls remained true to the original B3. (Why did Hammond-Suzuki change that, anyways?)
I'd also like to do a review on the Nord C2D, their clonewheel organ, I found one at a music store and quite liked it. But neither of these instruments will really hold up to a real B3, it's just one of those sounds that I don't think we will ever be able to truly replicate.
ThePianoforever Thanks for your reply .Yes it seems to be so that no imitation can be exactly like the original. I have had the Legend for a few months now and like it very much though. It has a nice keybed , unfortunately the drawbars don’t have the click action of a real B3 though. Something they should have done from the start in my opinion.I used to have a Hammond A100 many years ago. I’ve also had a Nord C2D. Its a nice layout but the leslie sim, I feel is weak. The sim on the Legend I do like especially now they’ve made a software editor so you can tweak the settings. If you ever happen to be in the UK you;re welcome to do the review on mine . I can take the honesty and wouldn’t throw you out as Hammond Susuki did😉 I expect Namm is a better opportunity and obviously nearer to you though. As for the layout of the Porta B, have a look at the much older SK3 ....they look identical to me. A friend of mine has an SKX which I’ve played and although not layed out like a B3 either, I found it much better than the Porta B sounds in your video and at £2500, a lot less expensive.
I dont know if this is a universal thing, but on my clone wheel the top harmonic doesn't do anything when percussion is on.
Matthew Province I'm a novice organ player, but from what my good friend has told me, when you engage percussion in a Hammond it disables the set of tonewheels for the 9th drawbar. I believe it borrows that set of tonewheels to create the percussion sounds.
Yes, that's something the original B3 does as well. But when I was testing out the Porta-B and was having problems with the treble being loud enough, I did not have percussion on, and had all the high drawbars pulled all the way out.
One of the issues with the B3 MOI and the Porta B MkII is that try both use the VASE III sound engine, which was replaced when the new XK5 came out.
I would test the new XK5 Heritage Pro system, which would come as close as anything to the original Porta B.
is it like a pipe organ? I mean the upper keyboard is the swell and the lower keyborad is the great?
Yes, only it uses tone wheels instead of pipes.
Aren’t these Hammond organs really heavy?
B3’s are about 400lbs organ alone
Randomly came across this guy and oddly I like him, Always had a thing for this sorta music. It's a Dying breed :(
But hey! I sure can impress a whole lotta chicks with this. Haha
Well you're messing up still sounds pretty good
Hi mate hows you? It looks like your b key is held down. Whys that?
It's a preset key, it stays held down when you press it and it selects what group of harmonic drawbars you can adjust. The Bb and B keys are for the drawbars, and the rest of the inverted keys on the left of the instrument are other pre-determined presets.
I'd say that it is always difficult to make good sound comparisons in such noisy environments, and then obviously those little onboard speakers compared to a full size leslie. plus the fact that simulations still do not sound like a real leslie, even if it's a smaller one from a different manufacturer etc (however, the simulation in the XK5 sounded quite close and acceptable for the first time...)
but a real rotating leslie still makes the difference. i am sure that this porta-B will sound very cool in your studio when you connect it to your L122. it was the same for me more than 20 years ago when i got my XB-2. i hooked it up to my stereo amp and it was quite disappointing. the sound was rather flat and the digital leslie was just crap. so, not even one year later i purchased a 122RV and voilà, i had the sound that i was expecting. i tried other, newer leslie simulations later, they were better than the XB2, but .... no. real leslie or forget it ;)
oh and there is a halfmoon leslie switch from hammond (CU-something) and i am pretty sure it can also be added to the porta-B ... but of course it is additional like all the other parts of the organ, as you said.
Internal speakers sound horrible to me!! Had a b3 and Leslie in the seventies.
CAN U MAKE A VIDEO OF THE XK5? HUGS FROM CHILEEEEEE
Excelente organo 🎹😊 yo sé tocar también pero un órgano Yamaha Me300, saludos desde Tampico Tamaulipas México 🇲🇽
Where are the pedals?
Were you invited prearranged, to visit the booth to do a test session, with camera.equipmemt, etc, or did you just walk-in as a casual visitor, to sit down and experiment?? Sounds like staff got intimidated??
Thanks for the memories. Better days gone by. My Hammond was a B3 walnut trim, bought new, 1961, but later modified it to incorporate a volume pedal for each manual (lower manual plus pedals) and a Leslie speaker with chorale. That was my professional rig. My practice set up at home was a Model A (ser# 1313) with a small Leslie. Loved them both.
Rocker switch?
The only problem with buying an original B3 is that they are getting pretty old and harder to find.
They are worth the search.
@@ThePianoforever The B3 is really a great and fine instrument. I wish I had one.
@@ThePianoforever I have a Leslie Speaker identical to yours and I have an old Lowrey organ that is one of their first all transistor models.
so is the sk2 better than the porta b?
I have not played one, and I'm really only very familiar with the original Hammond B3. The SK2 has additional sounds like piano and Rhodes, and is actually more portable than the Porta-B, but that's about all I know, and without playing it I wouldn't really be able to give you a strong opinion on it.
It feels like they tried to remake my Hammond R100 more than a actual B3. 2 sets of drawbars, strange Leslie switch, internal speakers.
Super !
tone-wheel vs clone-wheel ...
digital sound vs acoustic, although tone-wheel and other older electronic / electric organs weren't exactly "acoustic" really but they were much closer, weren't they? :-)
even digital sound has its own variants such as PCM vs FM and so on ...
its equivalent in photography: digital imagery vs film emulsion capture of light ...
even in digital imagery we do have similar comparisions: non-compressed RAW capture (broader DR, higher image quality) vs JPG and similar compressed formats (narrower DR, lower image quality)
don't get me wrong though: just like digital music and sound, digital photography (and video) has brought a lot of good to the world of photography that also serves traditional old fashioned (yet still very useful) film photography as well ...
in short, digital vs acoustic is kind of like a carefully prepared home-cooked meal (preferably using good quality non-Monsanto materials too!) vs the kind of 'thing' we eat in a fast food chain restaurant ... ;-)
Like to watch your videos and respect your opinions. Those are rocker switches, a tablet switch usually looks like a tombstone and flips down or up, or so referred in my neck of the woods. Your B and Leslie are beautiful and a steal at $8K considering their condition. I presume the Leslie is a 122? The 122’s are more in demand for gospel and jazz, while the 147/145’s are brighter and cut through better for rock. Yes, that rep was being a jerk. Thanks for doing what you do!
Rich Ferraro, I do have a 1965 122 Leslie. The one really important thing that I forgot to include was they had the Porta B connected to a 1978 122 XB Leslie. It's the thing many people like to do when comparing a new Suzuki / Hammond to a vintage Hammond, is hook it up to a vintage Leslie. I have seen online where they even use the vintage amps from the Hammond as well. I do not believe that is even close to a true comparison between a vintage Hammond and a Suzuki / Hammond. It's like they have really just given up and are just trying anything to get it to sound as good, and even then it does not sound as good to a true vintage Hammond to an experienced Hammond B3 player.
Before I knew what they were called, I used to call tablet switches “Tongue switches”, because, they look like a tongue.
Rocker switches.
Every Hammond organist knows the frustration you experienced having no Leslie switch on that Porta B! You'd think Hammond Suzuki would've learned their lesson by now! The Nord C2D was a game changer, and there are still many organists who prefer it to this day even above the new XK5! Hammond Suzuki has simply refuse to give people what they've been begging for for damn near 20 years now. All we want is a Hammond B3 that plays like a real B3 but is very portable. That includes two manuals and 4/5 sets of drawbars with keys that are payable just like the vintage, all packaged with an affordable price point at or under 4k!!!!! They've refused to do it, but Nord has, so let Nord annihilate their business for all I care!!! Because as you stated, for their prices you'd be better off to invest in an original vintage Hammond!!!!
The Leslie Switch Could be Built Into the Lower Left Cheekblock (I use Flat "Designer" light switches for this) or Jimmy Smith (from the "Off The Top" Album) had his Leslie Switches Routed into the Keyslip.
Very good review. If your not playing pedals the far best thing for speed control is a foot switch....
With the B3, players often will keep one foot on the expression pedal and the other foot on the pedal board, but this Porta-B didn't have pedals anyways.
I'm a Hammond lover from way back, I had a M-100 was my first. Try the new XK5 Hammond I've heard they are as close to the B3 as they come, thanks for your demo.
There are so many companies out there right now making knock off B3s that I think it would be wise to check out all of the brands before buying any clone, but for me the real deal is the way to go.
I agree, see you on the next video
I think the best one out there right now is the Crumar Mojo
You're an amazing kid!
I learned a few things, it is not as if Suzuki would resume the original design, pity, I am sure they could do it
I think the "paddle switches" are actually toggle switches, since they toggle between two states.
Hammond should produce a very limited number or special order only B3/C3/RT3 & A100 series. Yes they'd cost a fortune to make however, it's a guarantee sale without much question (if the do an exact replication). Mellotron does it. and the new ones sound amazing.
Mellotron is still making mechanical instruments with tape in 2020? I heard rumors of them being at NAMM 2020 but I had no idea they were still mechanical, I definitely would have checked that out!
Only $ 8,000 for all equipments !!!!!!!!
If I try to purchase the same 1965 Hammond B3 Organ in my country Japan, it will be more than three times more than that.
25k for a '65 B3 sounds cheap as hell
How much does it cost?
He says right here: ruclips.net/video/-cqaeDrZiv8/видео.html
$6000
OHHHHHHHHH it's like most never stands alone ... the sound must be processed!
Why does a “portable” B3 have internal speakers? All that weight and bulk, geez. ...and there some incredible clones out there, just not this one. This thing just doesn’t have the grit/huevos of the Real Deal. Even the software version in Logic sounds amazing, with the ability to emulate various versions and variable pre-amp overdrive. If Suzuki doesn’t get its poop together, their Hammond division is gonna be nothing but a money pit for them. It’s a shame, cause most of us can’t afford to get a B-3. And there’s only a limited amount of ‘em out there, too. ....$6K?!? Ridiculous for an emulator. Suzuki was prolly pissed ‘cause Cory Henry prolly dissed em. The Leslie switch thing is simply dumb.
And, you’re right, when I toured with a Hammond, that Leslie switch Never broke.
'Rocker Switch' is the correct term.
Aside from the real B3, I'd rather go for the Crumar Mojo instead of the Porta-B
They need to stop trying to make the new so called improved versions of these organs and just make the original series again !!!!!
The only reason someone don't make a new tonewheel organ is they would be so expensive that it would be impractical to buy one. They say it's about the weight, but many are not often moved so then it becomes the issue of the price. I find I can move mine very easily with the help of a Roll or Karri.
@@ThePianoforever Im thinking they cant do it or are too lazy .. The sound they are trying to make cannot be reproduced unless you do it the same way. There is a high pitch whine in all the I call them fake Hammonds which I cant stand and has a fake sound. Yes to most people this sounds fine but to somebody who is a true Hammond lover it just doesnt work !!!!
I've seen a Hammond with a knee switch on the right under the keyboard.
Really interesting. There must be a cheaper way to make a real tone wheel organ using using some different materials e.g there was an Italian tone wheel which used some plastic parts: it must be possible.
I thought,
This Hammond has a Leslie-foot-switch ...
( as I use onall my Hammonds now sinds 1970 !)
Así es. Casi todo lo "moderno" cuesta nuevo tan caro o más que lo antiguo y encima, inventos absurdos y con mucha peor calidad de materiales y de construcción. Pero claro, mientras alguien lo pague, seguirán con lo mismo. Gracias por decir la verdad, James.
great vid.
The real question is Why you don't have a named Pro Model!?! Hammond Should reach out and Pay you to help fix the issues! "Hammond Porta-b James Pavel Edition"... or you could reach out to a company/person who cares about players and help design a Portable... A.k.A "the James Pavel Organ"! "Bruhh Got the Sound Out of My JPO" "Jazzen out with the new JPO Pro model"
Fuck it... Where's the "James Pavel live Organ-piano-midi Portable"?
They made you mad, thank you for this demo go to a Hammond Store and Check out another unit and other models. I love classical music on the Hammond J S Bach would be proud He was a jazz fan as you know.
Jazz didn't exist back in JS Bach's time, did it?
That porta B just sounds dry I don’t feel the warmth!
The Hammond organ company (today Hammond Suzuki) was always known for their arrogance and, as it seems, this has never really changed. Historically speaking, that was and still is their Achilles' heel.
Great bro..
doesn't look that portable to me the internal speakers would add a fair bit of weight I have a dual manual xk5 and xk3c and a 1969 M102 my xk5 looks more like a B3 and is set up more like a B3 and is portable as the xk3c The porta B is not something i'd buy
Sounds more like a Thomas organ.
The WTF? look on your face from around the four minute mark on says it all . . .
I was really trying to get the sound of a Hammond.
My 62 C3 still going strong, modern stuff has no soul or style
@7:32 Tell that old codger to shut his hole, you are filming for RUclips!
Sounds like I’d be better off buying a diversi organ.
Rocker switch might be the term.
I would call them rocker switches rather than paddle switches.
I hear them called tablets sometimes
Jonny Hallyday. Le penitencier ❤️❤️❤️❤️